Focuses on the life and writings of C.S. Lewis. Mostly via interviews with authors of books about him. Sometimes short talks.

31Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: I decided to re-share 2014's recap of the shows I posted that year. This is the first of those two podcasts:

I had thirty-four new shows posted in 2014 (thirty six if you count this and next week's show!). The following is the first of a two part recap/reflection on the programs that were released in the last year. This segment spotlights shows done through July of this year before I changed the location of the hosting of All About Jack. At this time not all shows that was released at the old location has been re-released at the new site. Thus, a few excepts I share in this recap isn't available at this time, but will be in the next few weeks and links will be added later. Feel free to leave a comment telling me about your favorite show or make a suggestion of a potential guest.

29Dec

This is the second of a two-part show reflecting on the new podcasts I posted in 2015. As noted previously, last year was very busy ...almost 40 new shows (or never available via AAJ) were released. In this final recap for last year I finish out my reflection on the remaining programs not covered in the previous episode. Speaking of, if you haven't heard it then be sure to listen. A direct link is provided below. As I did last time, I briefly describe the new shows and then for most of them I provide an excerpt from it. Plus, below you will find direct links to hear the entire podcast of those shows.

28Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: 2015 had many good shows! This first of a two-part show reminds you of the podcasts from that year.

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2015 was a busier year than even last year for releasing brand new shows, or episodes that had never been posted on the AAJ hosting location. Nearly 40 shows fall under that category, as I released an average of more than one show a week when you count re-releases.

26Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: If you are new to my podcast, here's a great way to learn about all the new ones I did in 2016.

During 2016 I shared a variety of shows on my All About Jack podcast. While less than thirty were brand new, close to fifteen I shared had not been available previously at the location where I now have my audio files hosted. Below you'll find a list of the programs that weren't tied to just 2016 (that is, events held during that year). In the past two years I did a two-part show that shared brief excerpts from nearly all of the totally new show, but frankly I just didn't have the time to do that. So, be sure to look over the list to discover podcasts you might have missed or want to hear again. Additionally, in 2016 I began to post in my iTunes and Podbean feed older shows, or reminders of programs from the current year. What you'll hear in this podcast is a couple of highlights from three shows that showcase the variety of programs I had.

24Dec

With the publication of my book about The Screwtape Letters approaching soon (it should be out by late March, 2016), I thought I'd remind you of a book by the same publisher about The Great Divorce. That book is called C.S. Lewis Goes to HEAVEN and it came out in 2012. I spoke with the author, Dr. David Clark, when it came out but also shared it again last January. I'm sharing it again for those who may not have caught it then, but this also serves as a reminder to consider this resource to help you further enjoy a fictional book by Lewis that is sometimes overlooked.

C.S. Lewis's The Great Divorce originally came out nearly 70 years ago (that is the book, which was published January 14, 1946; but it was released in weekly installments starting on November 10, 1944). Back in 2012 William O'Flaherty spoke with Dr. David Clark about a book that is a study guide and more to this great and often neglected work of fiction. His book is called C.S. Goes to Heaven. It examines Lewis's work from three main angles: Sociology, Geography and Theology. There is also three appendices dealing with a summary of the characters, Biblical references and historical people and literary references.

22Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: Interview on Learning about the books that influenced Lewis.

Lewis was influenced by many people and also by books from various authors. Late in his life he was asked "What books did most to shape your vocational attitude and your philosophy of life?" His answer to this was published in the June 6, 1962 issue of The Christian Century. While it could be debatable to call this his all-time top ten, it is interesting to consider them. In fact, that's what C.S. Lewis's List does, it examines each of the ten books. This title is the result of a conference held in 2012 where ten different speakers spoke on one of the books in Lewis's list. Editors David and Susan Werther took the content and worked with the authors to create the resulting book. Many of the contributors have been a guest on All About Jack before and are noted below. William O'Flaherty spoke with David Werther recently to discuss this book that is new for 2015.

20Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: In summer 2015 I shared a two-part interview about a new biography on Joy Davidman; here's BOTH parts.

While I just released my interview with Abigail Santamaria in two parts, due to the popularity of those shows it seems there are those who would like the convenience of having them combined. So, that's what this episode is, simply both chats in a single show. While nothing new has been added, the ending from the first part and introduction of the second has been removed (thus both shows together are shorter than the two combined). As noted previously, this is the first book from Abigail Santamaria and its the first full-length biography on Joy Davidman, who was an accomplished writer before she married C.S. Lewis. Some of the topics explored in this interview with William O'Flaherty include how Abigail became interested in Joy's life and about what the Davidman household was like growing up, Joy's first marriage to Bill Gresham, how Joy met Lewis, some factors that led to her divorce and how she ultimately married Lewis twice.

18Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: Don King discusses two books - one he wrote about Joy Davidman and the other a volume of poems from her that he edited.

2015 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Joy Davidman, C.S. Lewis's wife. It just so happens that Dr. Don King has two new books this year (one not yet released at the time of this posting) related to her. A Naked Tree (the one currently available) is actually edited by Don and is a collection of nearly all her poems. The majority of them had never been published before. The other book (releasing in September) is Yet One More Spring and is the first comprehensive study of the poetry, nonfiction and fiction that Joy Davidman wrote. Learn more about them from the conversation that William O'Flaherty had with Don and hear a couple of Joy's poems.

17Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: The second of a two-part show exploring the three Lewis biographies from 2013.

This is the second and final part of a round table discussion on the three biographies on C.S. Lewis that came out in 2013. Follow the link below if you want to listen to the first part. Dr. Bruce Edwards, Dr. Charlie Starr and Dr. Crystal Hurd return to share there reflections on the books from McGrath, Duriez and Brown. William O'Flaherty hosts the show and has the guests also comment on the increasing number of books about the writings of Lewis that come out each year. Learn more about the guests, all Lewis scholars who have been on All About Jack before, by following the link to their website that is provide below.

16Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: First of two-part show looking back on the 2013 biographies.

In 2013 three biographies on C.S. Lewis were published. There have been quiet a few others before this and undoubtedly there will be more. Why so many biographies on Lewis and how do the ones from 2013 compare to each other? Also what should person look for in biography anyway? These and related questions are explored by William O'Flaherty and his three guests: Dr. Bruce Edwards, Dr. Charlie Starr and Dr. Crystal Hurd. Each are Lewis scholars and have been on All About Jack before.

13Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: An essay chat on the shorter work "The Vision of John Bunyan." The essay was first published on December 13, 1962.

"The Vision of John Bunyan" was the topic for my 11th and 12th essay chat back in 2012. For this re-release I combined the shows because together they are just over twenty minutes. Kevin Belmonte, who joined me for the third essay chat (and other shows) returned for this discussion. As always, in addition to exploring several key points in the article, you will learn background information about it, as well as related articles or books on a similar topic. "The Vision of John Bunyan" is best found in Selected Literary Essays (a title that was re-issued in paperback and made available in eBook for the first time in late 2013).

12Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: Learn more about Joy Davidman, the wife of C.S. Lewis through her own letters!

Back in 2012 I did my first interview with Dr. Don King. It was on the 2009 book entitled Out of My Bone: The Letters of Joy Davidman. This is the first time I've reposted the interview since I've had my podcast at the Podbean location. In this chat I also had Don answer some questions about his favorite Lewis book and recommendations about books by and about Lewis. Of course, he provides interesting background information about the letters of Joy Davidman and five key reasons why they are important to read.

10Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: Here's a short talk from William O'Flaherty from 2015 examining quotes attributed to Lewis...are they really from him?

C.S. Lewis wrote many statements that standalone as great short quotations. However, some quotes when isolated from their context are actually problematic. That is, apart from their setting they often yield a very different understanding of what Lewis meant. Then there are quotes attributed to Lewis that are actually a incorrect paraphrase of something he wrote. This podcast explores these issues. It is William O'Flaherty presenting a twenty minute paper at the recent CSLIS conference that was held in Grove City, PA this year (late March, 2015). See below to read the actual paper and listen to a previous talk about quotations falsely attributed to Lewis.

8Dec

IN THIS REPEAT: Dr. Jerry Root on The Surprising Imagination of C.S. Lewis, from a conversation with him about it before the book came out.

Dr. Jerry Root is a well respected scholar on C.S. Lewis and a much sought after speaker in general. Jerry sat down with William O'Flaherty just before the start of the CSLIS conference (that was held at Grove City this year) to talk about a forthcoming book entitled The Surprising Imagination of C.S. Lewis that is due out in September (2015). Dr. Root is an Associate Professor at Wheaton College and Director of Wheaton Evangelism Initiative, Billy Graham Center for Evangelism.

5Dec

IN THE REPEAT: Another great resource from Colin Duriez from a few years ago.

Many books came out in 2013 on C.S. Lewis (the 50th anniversary of his death). Two alone actually came from Colin Duriez. I’m repeating the interview I did about his second because my previous place of hosting my audio files no longer has it there. The book is called The A – Z of C.S. Lewis: A Complete Guide to His Life, Thoughts and Writings. It takes an encyclopedic approach to the topic and thus provides a person to aspects of Lewis’s life and writings that might be left unnoticed. In this interview Colin provides details about the layout of the book and shares some selections from it.